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Synchronicity, The Meaning of...
For a brief introduction to synchronicity see the Wikipedia article
Dr Michael Pickard described synchronicity: "A term coined by Carl Jung to denote meaningful coincidence. Events bound by synchronicity are connected by similarity, by meaning, by resonance, rather than by causality. Synchronicity is an acausal connecting principle. Since it goes beyond causation, it goes beyond time and space, and is not limited by such relations."
And Friedrich Schiller (1759 - 1805) said, "There is no such thing as chance; and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny."
Genealogists frequently experience some amazing serendipities. Henry Z Jones has collected numerous instances in his books about "Serendipity and Intuition in Genealogy".
"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it Intuition or what you will, the solution comes to you and you don't know how or why." ~ Albert Einstein
What in your experience and research do such coincidents mean? Do they evoke a sense of wonder and awe? Or are they just a curious anomaly that happens now and then without purpose or significance?
Dr Michael Pickard described synchronicity: "A term coined by Carl Jung to denote meaningful coincidence. Events bound by synchronicity are connected by similarity, by meaning, by resonance, rather than by causality. Synchronicity is an acausal connecting principle. Since it goes beyond causation, it goes beyond time and space, and is not limited by such relations."
And Friedrich Schiller (1759 - 1805) said, "There is no such thing as chance; and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny."
Genealogists frequently experience some amazing serendipities. Henry Z Jones has collected numerous instances in his books about "Serendipity and Intuition in Genealogy".
"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it Intuition or what you will, the solution comes to you and you don't know how or why." ~ Albert Einstein
What in your experience and research do such coincidents mean? Do they evoke a sense of wonder and awe? Or are they just a curious anomaly that happens now and then without purpose or significance?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Glenn Roy Browne on
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I love when I bump into a coincidence or synchronicities in the course of my life.
My most recent synchronicity tale happened a month ago. Our local Historical Society is going to produce a book listing all of the cemeteries in the county along with their history, photos, directions and pertinent facts. The project is nearing completion but I have been searching for very old single burials involving abandoned or lost grave sites. I have been taking the photos and gathering details from the headstones.
One 1880 grave in particular was suppose to be located on the river bank near an abandonrd farm site. I have searched the area three times without success after following advise from people who thought they knew where it was. When I spoke with the last person again he offered to personally take me to the grave after he was done farming.
A week later he was involved in an accident with his truck while on his way home. He went off the road and into a water filled ditch at night in a remote location. An investigation later indicated that he got out of the truck and back up on the road and started to walk home. It was a pitch black night and no lights for miles. In the dark he fell back into the ditch filled with cold water and got turned around. Instead of getting back up on the road he climbed the bank next to the field. He was soaking wet from top to bottom. He grabbed a wire fence to pull himself upright but it was an electric cattle fence. The shock killed him and he was not located until late the next day.
A couple of weeks after the funeral I tried to contact his brother but could never seem to locate him. I later learned he helped his deceased brother farm in the summer and was now trying to do everything himself.
No one seemed to know which of many fields he was working in. I decided that the best thing was to drive to the farm up North by the Canadian border where the deceased had lived. It was a number of miles away in a very sparsely inhabited area. On my way I missed the road I was looking for and soon found I was too far east and on what could only be called a rarely traveled trail. I had been driving for half an hour and had never seen another person or even a farm. The trail became very rough but there was no place to turn around so I just kept going. I was not comforted by the fact that the lake nearby was called Skull Lake.
At about the time I was getting concerned, I saw a dark vehicle about a mile ahead approaching me. As it got closer I realized it was an all terrain vehicle. It was more suited to the trail than I was. We both slowed down to pass when I suddenly recognized the driver as the man I was looking for. We both stopped and introduced ourselves. I quickly explained how I needed his help and he agreed to take me to the grave site when he was not so busy.
He was surprised I was on this remote trail and I was surprised to hear he rarely took this route. He could not really explain what caused him to drive that way nor could he believe I was looking for him. After we talked he turned around and headed back to the farm. I headed back home on a good road. I could have searched all day and never found him.
Without planning or effort we met in about the last place you would ever expect to meet anyone. I thought it was a good example of synchronicity. You can call it what ever you want. -
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